This, my dear readers, is my own personal version of hell.



This morning the three of us (Boku on left, Mona on right - click to enlarge if you'd like) went to the vet. Boku seems to be getting in the carrier just a little bit (ok A LOT) easier than Mona these days. Basically she corners herself in the pantry and I shove her in. I chased Mona around for 15 minutes plus. There was angry yelling (on BOTH of our parts) and some angry tears (on my part only). Eventually, they both ended up in their carriers. I ended up out of breath (that is some work out) and with serious muscle pain in the left arm. Stupid me got a tetanus shot yesterday and am experiencing some muscle soreness.

My vet was observing Ramadan so I saw some weird stand-in vet. He had SO MUCH nose hair and what appeared to be crusting bogeys surrounding his right nostril. He was quite passionate about his job. In the process of the appointment I learned:

• Vet tech and vet taught me how to safely clip their nails. I'm going to buy clippers next time I'm at PetSmart and try it out on Mona. (ha! yeah right for Boku)
• Distemper shots might be causing tumors in cats that get them every year. There was a lot of argument at his last convention (all cats get all shots in the same place - so how can it be blamed on distemper?). Much discussion on whether or not indoor cats need this shot once a year. He thought not. Especially in Mona's case (she had all her kitten shots on time). For Boku...we have no idea if she had her shots as a kitten and she therefore needed a shot this year. One next as well(with Mona). And then they'll be every 3 years.
  
• Boku is a bit older than I was originally told. I thought she was a young Mom, they estimated she was 1 when she had Mona. Mona was 2 in June which puts my Boku estimation at 3. Vet says her teeth show that she is at least 4. Possibly 5.
• Both were well behaved (when you compare them to Allie in her younger years, they were both pure angels). Neither tried to bite. Boku didn't even really try to run.
• Vet decided that even though Boku's file said she was the problem one, she had behaved better than Mona (!!!). So now, Mona is classified as my problem kitty. Ah, Boku. You're almost a socialized cat. Any day now.
• Vet also made me out to be a serious hero for taking Boku. He can't believe she was allowed to stay in the foster organization for as long as she did (almost a year) and believed that if she had been in a Chicago shelter she would have been put down. More than once he praised me for saving her. I must say, it was nice to have an bit of ego inflation
• Boku needs to go back in 3 weeks for a booster shot. I don't know if I'm willing to do it. Seriously. Taking them to the vet is an emotional (and today physical) disaster. I can almost handle every 6 months (but am leaning towards once a year if not every 3). But in 3 weeks? We might not have recovered by then.
• Boku is classified as a fat cat. This means I have to brush her intensely all along her back because she can't bend to clean herself and so is prone to mats. Fatty.

Hope you all have a relaxing and fun weekend. For me the rest of the day involves 50c hot dogs, Battleship, homework and possibly Indian food.